Online Travel Review and Gary note that Air France Flying Blue miles can be used for one-way awards on Delta without fuel surcharges (at half the price of a roundtrip), at least when not originating in Europe. This is pretty exciting news since Delta doesn’t give a discount for one-way awards when booking through SkyMiles, so you still end up paying the roundtrip price.

Yet, amazingly enough, that’s not the case with Air France Flying Blue. Keep in mind Flying Blue is an American Express Membership Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest transfer partner, so this opens up a lot of new opportunities.

Once you have a Flying Blue log-in, just access your account and click on “Award Tickets.” To keep it simple let’s search award space from New York to London, a route on which Delta typically releases a good amount of award space.

Once you click “search” you’ll be brought to an availability calendar.

While most dates list the mileage cost as being 50,000 miles one-way, you’ll notice some dates list a cash component of $19.20, while others list $427.03. It’s safe to assume that those dates that list $19.20 have Delta award space (since there are no fuel surcharges), while those dates that list $437.03 don’t (given the high fuel surcharges).

If you select April 9, for example, you’ll be brought to the results page, which displays three Delta flights with saver award space available:

As I noted above, however, Air France does levy fuel surcharges for one-way Delta awards originating in Europe:

It’s also interesting to note that in some cases booking through Flying Blue is cheaper than booking through Delta SkyMiles. For example, a roundtrip business class award ticket between New York and Tel Aviv would run you 120,000 Delta SkyMiles at the saver level, while it would only run you 100,000 Flying Blue miles (or 50,000 one-way).

Knowing this, I can actually see myself redeeming miles on Delta more often…

Japan Airlines is updating/simplifying their award chart as of October 1, 2012, and the changes look pretty positive overall. I don’t understand all the implications of these changes since I’m no expert on the Japan Airlines Mileage Bank…

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About luckyBen Schlappig (aka Lucky) is a travel consultant, blogger, and avid points collector.
He travels about 400,000 miles a year, primarily using miles and points to fund his first class experiences.
He chronicles his adventures, along with industry news, here at One Mile At A Time.

Comments

This is GREAT! Well, for getting there at least. I am flying out of BWI/DCA/IAD and would love to book a trip to Paris, but getting back looks like it will cost $350-$500 in fees per ticket. Are there any ways around this?

@ Dave — Unfortunately in the other direction you’re out of luck when it comes to avoiding fuel surcharges through Flying Blue. You’d be best off booking either a roundtrip through Delta (to avoid fuel surcharges altogether) or booking the return through United, which doesn’t impose fuel surcharges for awards out of Europe.

also to note it’s only 35,000 miles on flying blue from N. America to Northern S. America including peru. Just did a trip to Peru 35K RT on AeroMexico. Would not fly them again due to a bad eperience, but it’s still a good deal.

I just checked DL for a RT from FRA to PTY (Panama)…and it was 90,000 plus $508 in fees.
I have enough miles with UA for a one way FRA to PTY and it is 32,000 and $5 tax.
I don’t understand at all. THANKS.

@ ENNOBLER — This is because Delta imposes fuel surcharges for award tickets originating in Europe, while United doesn’t. As far as the mileage price goes, it’s because the “low” level award space isn’t available for your flights.

I found a confusing online booking process. I tried to book an one way ticket from SFO to MIA on delta using Flying Blue Miles. ON the search page, it says the classic award 12500 Miles +5 dollars, However, when I choose this award and continue to the final page, it asks for 25000 for this one way ticket.

As you may check the pictures I post in Milepoint, I double checked I choose 1 passenger.

I did tried twice as this ticket is for my mother. The first time I unchecked the option “the flying blue member is on this reservation”; And choose the 1st passenger’s age 18+, left the 2nd passenger blank;

The second time I also left the 2nd passenger blank and checked the option “the flying blue member is on this reservation” as if I was booking an one-way ticket for myself;

Both gave me the same search results of 12.5K miles but 25K miles for one person on the final page.

I tried Chrome and Safari on my Macbook Air. I will go to test other browsers on my Windows to see what would happen and will report back soon.

I just called Air France customer service in Asia (US department is not open now) regarding this issue. The agent understood what I said and agreed to issue the ticket on the phone at the price of 12.5K. She also waived my ticketing fee.

@ Sibs — If you can fly Delta originating in the US there are no fuel surcharges. This post was simply about one-way awards being an option — you can book a roundtrip for double the miles with no issues.

I have 75K on Delta and they want min 60K for one way economy ATL – BCN – Flying Blue offers business class for 50K + $462. However when I try to book it tells me I don’t have enough miles with Flying Blue. How do I use my Delta miles to book this?

@ Adele — There’s no way you can convert your Delta miles into Flying Blue miles. This post was about redeeming Flying Blue miles. Unfortunately if you redeem Delta miles you still pay the roundtrip price for a one-way.

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